


( one look at you ) my whole life falls in line

by lucitae



Category: NU'EST
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Experimental writing, Future Fic, M/M, domesticity in general, some aggressive POV switches near the end, unexplained time skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-02 00:17:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19188088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucitae/pseuds/lucitae
Summary: a series of vignettes on aron and minhyun's life together.





	( one look at you ) my whole life falls in line

**Author's Note:**

  * For [landfill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/landfill/gifts).



> for the one who holds my hand through times of insane stress and bouts of depression. for the one who understands me better than myself. i hope your tooth rots.
> 
> this fic was heavily inspired by the documentary "all in the family." it's a painfully honest documentary about the process of coming out and traditional chinese familial values but while watching i just wished there were more tender moments on his relationship with his husband and raising their children. this is how this fic was born.
> 
> also inspired by taiwan's [legalization](https://youtu.be/RfGew6Q0y9M) of same sex [marriage](https://twitter.com/france24/status/1131892236935938048?s=21). never have i been more proud of my country.
> 
> aron and minhyun in this au are quite aged up (mid to late 30s or perhaps even a tad bit older).
> 
> this is a very plotless fic. equally pointless. + the layout of this fic is confusing. you have been warned.

A child with piercing blue eyes and long blonde hair smiles shyly before running towards her mother. The camera pans to follow her. She throws one of her arms around her mother’s growing belly and hides the rest of her body and face away from the lens. Her mother laughs and strokes her daughter’s hair.

“Don’t be scared,” she encourages. “He won’t bite.” She gives the camera a wave to prove her point. The child follows suit.

Once deeming it to be safe she turns her attention to her mother’s belly. Two small hands trying to cover as much skin as they can.

“When is he going to come out? I can’t wait to meet him.”

The mother chuckles. “In a month or so.” And then pauses before asking: “is this our baby?” A gentle and kind reminder.

The girl shakes her head. Even though it doesn’t seem to quite register. 

The mother rubs her abdomen. “Do you remember whose baby is it or where it he going to go?”

The girl nods before pointing straight at the camera.

A narration falls over the scene: _I’m the person behind the camera._

A man appears, the father, with the same blue eyes and blonde hair and cups his daughter’s face from behind the sofa. She giggles.

_And this wonderful woman is pregnant with my baby._

The girl whispers something to her mother after she’s been subjected to an onslaught of her father’s kisses. The woman smiles and addresses the camera: “why don’t you ask Aron?”

“Do you have a name for him yet?” the girl asks, fingers tugging the hem of her skirt.

The voice comes from behind the camera rather than a narration. “Aiden.”

“That’s a good name,” the father comments.

The girl looks at her mother’s belly, places her hands over the skin and whispers: “pleased to meet you Aiden.”

_My husband, Minhyun, and I debated over names for a long time. We weren’t just going to draw them out of a hat. Even our family_

The scene cuts to an older woman stirring a pot of kimchi jjigae. “How about Aeri?”

_and our friends_

Another cut to a group of men, heavily intoxicated. Including the camera holder because the scene is slightly shaky as he snaps it onto a tripod.

“Maybe you should name one of them after me,” one of them slurs as he giggles, raising his glass to the rest of the group and towards one pale skinned man in particular. “Then they’ll be pretty as me.” It’s followed by knocking back the glass and a smirk.

“Sure, Minki,” the pale skinned one says as he quickly refills the glass with water instead of soju.

One of the friends who has stayed silent this entire time hiccups. And then says softly: “I want to be their godfather.”

He gets nudged by another friend. Well built and as flushed as the rest. “You’re so sly Jonghyun-ah. I want to be a godfather too.”

The familiar voice of the narrator laughs. “Maybe we’ll draw lots,” he teases.

The pale skinned one clucks his tongue disapprovingly. “Aron.” It comes out stern which only makes Aron laugh harder as he seemingly melts into the other man. It disarms him completely and the look of disapproval turns into one of fondness.

 _had their ideas. But in the end we decided to combine the portions of our names that were similar —_ Min _hyun and Young_ min — _and name our children Mingyeong and Minjoon._

_But they wouldn’t understand._

The scene cuts back to the family with the pregnant woman having dinner.

“Have you come up with the name for your daughter?” she asks.

“Aubrey.”

“All A names huh,” the father remarks.

_To make it fair, Minhyun had insisted. And Y names are impossible._

“What beautiful names,” she concludes with a smile.

_Susan, our surrogate, has been awfully understanding of our situation. Even recruited her best friend Carol to help carry our daughter to term._

A different scene: a dinner at a restaurant where the men help their pregnant wives into their seats. Two couples. With the addition of the camera and the pale skinned man.

The camera focuses on Susan and Carol catching up about their days and their imminent delivery dates. The narration renders the rest of the conversation indecipherable.

_Three years ago, South Korea finally allowed for marriage equality._

Quick insert of a clip from the celebration of marriage equality law being passed. Bits of confetti raining down onto the crowd below with every color of the rainbow. Couples boldly kissing each other on the street. A few of them bursting into tears. Supportive parents who hug their children and their children-in-laws to be and press kisses into their foreheads.

_But other aspects haven’t been progressing as fast as we hoped. So we came to the States in search of surrogates._

Back to the restaurant.

_Adoption was always on the table. But since our families are a little bit more traditional we both decided to go this route._

A clip of Susan and a check up with her physician. Followed by the usual exchanges, history taking, and minor parenting questions thrown in Aron’s direction. 

_So traditional that we went for Korean egg donors. But we also didn’t want twins. Or rather we didn’t want to have a surrogate carry the burden of twins,_

“which is how our stories comes together,” Carol says on screen, explaining this all to help the physician catch up to speed.

_And I am filming all of this. Not only because it is an occupational habit but also from the desire to document all of this. An insight into queer families. Help people understand surrogacy a little better. And selfishly, to normalize all of this._

_When I was young I wanted to start a family, have kids, be a dad._

Old photographs of Aron during his childhood flash upon the screen. In one of them, he's smiling brightly as his father holds him proudly in his arms.

 _But as I grew older I didn _’_ t think _I _was allowed to have any of that._

Other photographs. College era presumably from the dark lighting, the wife beater, the red solo cups.

_So, hopefully, that by the time my children see this_

The scene focuses on the screen of the ultrasound image as the technician points out the hair on the fetus’ head.

_families like ours will be accepted as part of the norm in Korea._

 

* * *

  

The first cries of a baby resonates through the room. The nurses quickly clean the infant before giving it to Minhyun who already has his chest exposed. The nurse lies the infant onto Minhyun’s chest and there’s a garbled cooing noise that comes from behind the camera.

Minhyun flushes. But his ears and cheeks quickly resume to their normal color as he looks down at his child. He smiles as he gently pats the infant.

“She’s beautiful,” he says.

The camera zooms in, catching more of the bare skin and his daughter’s wrinkled, pudgy face.

“Yeah,” Aron agrees.

Minhyun takes a glance at the camera, a smirk beginning to form on his lips because he noted the way the word was choked out.

Aron clears his throat. “Want to explain what you are doing?”

“Skin to skin contact,” Minhyun explains as he returns to gazing at his daughter’s face, “helps with bonding.”

The camera gets snatched out of Aron’s hands and pans to Aron’s face as Minhyun says “you need to do it with Minjoon too.”

“Careful,” Aron warns as Minki’s laugh rings out from behind the camera. The nurse walks out just in time to hand the other infant to Aron who seats himself beside Minhyun and unbuttons his shirt.

They sleep soundly. Eyes closed.

“How ugly,” Minki remarks, jokingly.

Minhyun laughs. “He’ll grow up handsome. He’ll take after his father.”

There’s a gagging sound from behind the camera. “Hopefully not too much,” Minki teases, “or he’ll be pint sized.”

“Hey!” Aron protests, glaring at the camera as snickers exude from behind it.

“He’ll be a fairy,” Minhyun concludes as he smiles at Aron. It’s one so full of fondness it makes Aron turn to look at Minjoon.

His ears are bright red.

Silence falls over them.

Aron breaks it with a soft: “Mingyeong has your nose.”

Minhyun tilts his head back. Eyes sparkling from the way light refracts off the water he’s trying to hold back.

 

* * *

 

“How do you — ?” Minhyun remarks frustrated as he tries to figure out how to feed Minjoon who wiggles around like his life depends on it.

The camera shakes from Aron trying to hold in his laughter.

“I’d like to see you try,” Minhyun snaps as he glares at the camera.

“From 0 to 2,” Aron says from behind, “who was the one that said it would make life easier in the long run if we knocked parenting out all at once.”

Minhyun gasps. A look of utter betrayal as Minjoon gurgles something. “It’s true! My calculations—”

“And also told his mother he had everything under control and didn’t need _any_ help at all.”

“I didn’t want her to fly 11 hours just to take care of babies,” Minhyun protests.

“You know she was only using it as an excuse to see her grandchildren,” Aron says.

 _But Minhyun is one that tends to hold grudges._ The narration says in an utterly exasperated tone.

The camera cuts to Aron who looks utterly lost as he tries to negotiate with Minjoon. “Look at how soundly Mingyeong is sleeping with no one bothering her. Just finish this bottle and—”

Followed by a snicker off cam.

And then a concerned but distant voice as if transmitted through another device: “Minhyun-ah, tell Aron that it might work better if he sits with his legs propped up. Put him in his lap. It helps decrease the gas and reflux.”

“You heard her,” is all Minhyun says.

Aron only glances at the camera in utter remorse when Minjoon throws it all up.

Minhyun keeps the camera rolling as Aron cleans up the mess and tries to feed Minjoon again.

 

* * *

  

“Why, aren’t you a handsome man?” Aron says as the camera closes up on Minhyun’s face. His pajamas are in utter disarray. His hair unkempt and sticking out. Aron can’t help but chuckle.

There’s a hand that swats at the camera. “It’s three AM, let me sleep Aron,” Minhyun says as he collapses into his side of the bed.

A soft  _sweet dreams_ and a jostle of the camera where it barely catches the filmmaker pressing a kiss to his lover’s face. And a subsequent groan that follows ( but not one out of irritation. )

The scene then cuts to the morning where one column of gold has escaped the drapes attempt to thwart the sun. It falls on a familiar face. The camera must be set up on a tripod from the corner of the room where it perfectly captures the image on the bed at the clock by the bedside table that announces in bright green letters 10:25AM. Time passes idly. Outside the room there are cries of young children and the sound of a man cursing. Soon those voices are placated. The digital clock keeps time. Small snores are picked up by the microphone.

Later, Aron saunters into the room with a tray where the only visible things are a few bowls of varying sizes and a tall glass of orange juice. He sets it down on the bed before walking to the window and throwing open the drapes.

Light floods the room.

It takes a moment for the camera to adjust.

There’s a groan. Minhyun raises his hand to block out the light before burying his head into the pillow. Aron waits. A soft chuckle escapes.

It only takes a second for Minhyun to blearily glance at the clock and jolt upright in bed.

“How is it 11?” he exclaims and looks at Aron quickly before he's about to bolt out of bed. “Mingyeong and Minjoon—”

“Have been fed. Their diapers have also been changed,” Aron finishes. Minhyun sinks back into bed, relief clear over his face.  “Now it’s your turn.” Aron gestures at the tray on the bed.

A soft _Oh_ escapes Minhyun’s lips. His hair stands up in multiple areas. There are deep, dark circles under his eyes ( the same ones that Aron shares ). Aron reaches over to smooth Minhyun’s hair. Giving it a few strokes until it stays down and Minhyun leans into it with his eyes closed.

“Thank you,” Minhyun says finally, opening his eyes as he gestures for Aron to take a seat beside him.

The bed dips under Aron’s weight.

“In case you forgot, they are _our_ children,” Aron says teasingly.

Minhyun shakes his head. “It’s for the breakfast in bed.”

It’s followed by a shrug. “I almost never wake up before you do. Couldn’t pass up the chance.” Aron scoops the side dishes of kimchi, vegetable omelette, and seasoned tofu in soy sauce into the bowl of rice. “Besides,” he says cheekily as he offers the bowl, only to pull away when Minhyun reaches for it, “if you wanted to thank me you could always give me a kiss.” Aron closes his eyes and puckers up for good measure.

“I have morning breath!” Minhyun protests.

Aron opens his eyes. His expression is mischievous. He still holds the bowl far away from Minhyun when he says: “does it look like I care?” His expression has now been schooled into something more stern.

Minhyun resigns with a sigh and leans in to catch Aron’s lips with his own.

“You extortioner,” he says for good measure when they part but still takes the mouthful Aron feeds him.

“You love me” is all Aron says as he scoops another spoonful of rice and toppings. Minhyun chooses to stay silent as he takes another bite.

 

* * *

 

_So maybe you’re wondering how we got here. Well it all started..._

 

Minki laughs, clutching his stomach. “You’ll never believe this.” He points a finger at Aron. It’s a bit shaky from all the laughter. “So we were at a club in Itaewon.” He then juts a thumb at Minhyun. “This guy walks in looking all lost and angelic. And I hear something like Aron deflating.”

“He was really hot!” Aron blurts before he realizes the words that come out. Minhyun laughs along but the tips of his ears are bright red. “I still stand by it,” Aron mutters.

Minhyun flashes him a smile and Minki gags. “I missed the days when your ego wasn’t this inflated.”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Aron retorts.

It is followed by an eye roll and “I regret everything I did to support you that night.”

“Anyway,” Minki continues because Junhui and Seokmin utterly engrossed in the tale while Jeonghan smirks knowingly. “Mr. Kwak here was an utter wreck that night.”

Mingyu shouts at them to come closer to where he is so he can listen in on this encounter as he grills the meat for the party. An impromptu baby shower of sorts.

“He turned and hid himself like he was in one of those movies or dramas.” It is interrupted by another fit of laughs. “I don’t think Minhyun even knew he existed at that point. But he just kept muttering _oh god, oh god_.”

“Full on gay panic?” Wonwoo interjects after a takes a sip from his drink.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Minki says. Aron buries his face in the crook of Minhyun’s neck as if that would save him from this retelling. Minhyun gives him two sympathetic pats.

Aron mumbles something under his breath.

“What did he say?” Mingyu asks.

“He was out of my league,” Seungkwan announces with his signature laugh and volume.

“So,” Minki says with a Cheshire grin, “being best friend of the hour I told him: what did you have to lose?”

“He said _you’re right_. Of course I am,” Minki says with a shrug, “then asked the bartender for three tequila shots. Knocked them all back with salt and lemon. And then the rest is history.” Minki finishes with a wave of his hand.

“But if I’m being honest, I’m surprised you two came so far. Tied the knot. Starting a family.” He gestures at this rooftop party. “Back then Aron hyung only did flings. The longest relationship lasted 2 months.”

There is a series of _oooooooooh_ s from the audience as they all look at Aron and Minhyun. Gossip will never not be fascinating to humans.

Minki brushes it off with a “nothing Minhyun doesn’t already know.” Confirmed by a nod and a gentle squeeze of Minhyun’s hand from Aron. “Honestly I thought his life long companions were going to be pets.”

The video cuts to a scene of Minki’s cat Lucky resting on top of Aron’s stomach. Content. Purring lightly. Aron spots the camera and tries to shoo it away but the giggles from behind the lenses and the way the camera keeps getting closer to the long haired cat shows how little hold Aron’s actions are to the person filming this.

Afraid that he had somehow waken Lucky, Aron runs his fingers through its fur.

The video then cuts to a shiba inu puppy being cradled in Aron’s arms.

Minki’s voice falls over the clip: _he had huge commitment issues back then._

And Aron turns to face the shiba inu towards the camera. “Say hi to Noah~” he coos before leaning in towards the puppy. Noah raises its head, bumping its nose against Aron’s puckered lips, and wags his tail aggressively with the praises and belly rubs that follow.

It’s followed by a video of Noah a little bit older, sitting straight as he wags his tail at the treat Aron dangles before him. “Shake hands,” Aron says in a firm voice as he holds out his other hand. Noah quickly places his paw in Aron’s outstretched hands. It earns him the treat. And after he’s finished gobbling it down, it earns him some cheek squishing followed by an “aren’t you a good boy.” A tail thumps happily.

Another scene. This time they are out at a park and Noah is a lot older. He’s barking at a dog whilst wagging his tail, trying to run to the other dog but the leash keeps him in place. Aron claps his hands and Noah returns his attention to Aron dutifully. Aron rubs Noah’s head — especially the spots behind the ears that has Noah’s face scrunched in one of contentness.

“Are you feeling lonely?” he asks as he presses his lips against the top of Noah’s furry head. “Do you want a sibling?”

Noah barks without understanding anything. It earns him a head pat.

The video cuts to another scene. Aron is walking out with another dog in his arms and seems to notice the camera as he says “put your phone away” and “why are you filming this?” putting one hand up to try to stop it.

“You like to film us all the time,” comes Jonghyun’s voice. “Besides someone needs to capture your heroics.” It’s both a little teasing and awfully sincere.

Aron turns a little pink.

“There’s nothing heroic about this. Kkotsooni just needed a home,” he says voice gentle. He hugs the dog tighter to his chest while he strokes her chin with one finger. “And shedding isn’t an issue. I’m not allergic, I have another dog at home who sheds, a vacuum, and a family pack of lint rollers.”

Jonghyun chuckles.

Aron’s expression turns playful.

“Want to hold her? She doesn’t bite.”

It’s less of a question. Aron proceeds to place Kkotsoon into Jonghyun’s arms and steals the phone away — reversing their roles.

“It feels so much more comfortable being behind the camera than in front of it.”

Jonghyun is about to protest but Kkotsoon seems to take a liking to him. Giving him a shy and tentative lick of his cheek.

“And on which date did you introduce them to Minhyun again?” Minki asks as the video cuts back to the party. Minki turns to the audience and says: “he thought he could win him over.” It’s interrupted by a fit of giggles. “But he didn’t know that Minhyun was allergic.”

It’s Minhyun’s turn to grow bright red.

It was autumn, judging from the color of the leaves and the clothes they are dressed in. Noah and Kkotsoon tackle Minhyun to the ground who laughs heartily from the onslaught of attention and wet tongues. Both hands are kept busy. One for each dog. Occasionally one of them tries to monopolize both hands but fails spectacularly.

It barely takes a few minutes before both dogs freeze from a sneeze.

“Are you all right?” Aron asks concerned. The camera captures a hand that offers a tissue.

Minhyun takes it gratefully.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” he chuckles weakly, blinking aggressively, “probably just a cold.” He wraps his arms around himself for extra measure.

“How about we go grab some coffee then?” Aron offers his hand, both to throw away the tissue and to help Minhyun up. “I know a café that allows pets.”

“W-wonderful,” Minhyun says with a smile.

The next scene is Minhyun waving. Or well it’s only known to be Minhyun when the camera walks close enough to the man bundled in scarves and wearing a mask. The dogs greet him happily. And Minhyun crouches down to return the greeting. His hands are stuffed in gloves. He doesn’t remove them to pet Noah and Kkotsoon but they don’t seem to mind.

“You don’t have to meet me if you’re feeling under the weather, Minhyun-ah,” Aron says.

“I wanted to see you,” he says looking up before he realizes what he’s said. “I mean I wanted to see them.” Minhyun hides his flushed face by ducking down to rub Kkotsooni’s belly but his ears are undeniably bright red.

The scene changes to Aron wagging his fingers at his dogs who both sit straight and serenely. “Traitor,” Aron accuses. “You’re _my_ dogs.”

Someone is losing it behind the cameras. The dogs turn their heads and attention to the laugh despite still sitting in Aron’s direction.

“You’re supposed to comfort _me_ after we fight not go on a walk with the human who upset me!” Aron continues admonishing his dogs to no avail.

All it takes is for Minhyun to snap his fingers and Noah and Kkotsoon abandon Aron entirely.

“See,” Minhyun preens, “you should have fought me for the role of feeding them. The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach.”

“Isn’t that right Kkotsooni~” Minhyun says as he strokes the underside of Kkotsoon’s chin. She wags her tail aggressively in agreement.

The video cuts to a scene of babbling babies and Noah and Kkotsoon staring at them curiously. It is followed by an image of Minjoon and Mingyeong slumbering, side by side, with Noah and Kkotsoon napping next to them — almost as if they were guarding the children, one flanked on each side. Their tiny fingers lost in the fur.

The camera pans to Minhyun who looks barely awake, popping back a white pill.

“What?” he grouches with the pill between his teeth.

“Nothing~” Aron says.

A small huffs follows as Minhyun chases it down with water. “I’d rather die from my allergies than give them away.”

 

The video cuts off with a beep from the remote control.

Aron turns to his husband offended.

“We were getting to the good part!” Aron exclaims. “What a line: if you had put them up for adoption just to keep me I would have broken up with you. Followed by a glare, in which I thought you were also going to break my nose along with my heart. Made me fall for you a little more.”

Minhyun rolls his eyes. Then opens his mouth. Closes it. Before sighing and squaring his shoulders to meet Aron.

“You know I love you right?” he begins. Which is a terrible way to begin because this usually means that Aron is in some crap. ( Deep crap is when Minhyun uses Youngmin instead of Aron. )

Minhyun puts his hands together. And presses his lips against them.

“That editing was a mess.”

He really doesn’t beat around the bush.

“But this worked thematically and—” Aron silences himself for a moment before looking back on the blank television screen.

“Yeah,” he says after a while, “I had my doubts on it so I made you watch it.”

“I know,” Minhyun says as he slides closer, throwing an arm around Aron’s shoulder. Aron leans back and let’s his head fall on Minhyun’s arm. Aron closes his eyes and covers his face.

“What am I doing,” he groans into them.

“Your best. Everyone has their blocks from time to time,” Minhyun says, gently, pressing his lips against Aron’s temple.

Aron uncovers his face and stares straight at his husband. “But this _is_ my profession, Minhyun.”

“Maybe you just need to try it from a different angle.”

Another groan. “But I don’t have time! Mother’s Day is two days away.”

“You’re making this for our mothers?” Minhyun asks, clearly amused.

“I thought they would enjoy seeing two of the cutest things in the world being together,” Aron says as he winks at Minhyun.

Minhyun makes a face. ( It doesn’t really work because it is marred by endearment. ) “I hope you don’t mean us. And that you mean our children and our dogs.”

Aron laughs. “Of course I mean them.” The stress from before seems to have seeped out of his system.

“I was going to send it to Susan and Carol too. After our FaceTime where Mingyeong and Minjoon will certainly make them cry by wishing them a Happy Mother’s Day,” Aron says with a look of determination.

Minhyun shakes his head. And then he leans in, lips brushing against the shell of Aron’s ear as he whispers: “if our wedding anniversary present is another one of your videos, I’m going to take you to court and divorce you.”

He then pulls away and flashes Aron a beautiful smile.

Aron pulls back and puts a hand on his chest as he gasps for dramatic effect.

“How dare you! I put my heart and soul into those.”

“I’ve received the same thing for 8 years. This isn’t counting the clips you made and gifted me while we were dating,” Minhyun points out.

“I gave you flowers and chocolates too!” Aron protests. He’s met with a pointed look and deflates.

He crosses his arms and pouts. “You wouldn’t dare.”

That cheeky expression of Minhyun surfaces. The one Aron has no defenses against and loves like a masochist. “Try me.”

“Mingyeong would miss her father,” Aron huffs.

“I can always find another one for her.”

It earns a whack from Aron. Minhyun does a light _ow_ before laughing at the expression on his husband’s face. He makes a game out of it by trying to hold Aron in his arms who keeps trying to ( lightly ) slap Minhyun away.

Mingyeong and Minjoon are oblivious to their family’s discussed dissolution. They are in the playroom where Noah and Kkotsoon are keeping them company.

 

* * *

 

Peak flower season in Seoul is usually around early April. Somehow Minjoon has managed to find some wild ones to bring home as a fist bouquet. He presents it with flourish while Mingyeong scrambles onto the chair beside the counter and rest her chin in the palm of both her hands.

Must be that flower pose Jonghyun had taught her last weekend.

Aron takes the small bouquet from his son — not before pressing a kiss into his forehead and Minjoon giggling — and puts it in the vase near the kitchen sink.

Mingyeong clears her throat as she swings her leg. She pauses to help hoist Minjoon up to join her in the chair beside her. Then she turns her attention back to her father.

“Iseul asked me today: if you have two dads do you even celebrate Mother’s Day?” Mingyeong mimics as Minhyun exits the bathroom, toweling dry his hair. Minjoon nods earnestly in support of his sister’s imitation.

“What did I say about the first thing you do when you get home?” Minhyun asks sternly.

Mingyeong whines. “This is important! We’ll shower after this!”

“Fine,” Minhyun says and joins Aron’s side of the counter. It wasn’t like he was going to enforce it anyway, Aron thinks. And Minhyun bumps his hips against Aron’s on purpose as if to argue that he was going to enforce it, despite what Aron thinks.

“And so, I told Iseul that yes we do,” she continues with the dramatic air of a six year old child. “And Iseul is like but you don’t have a mom. So we told her—”

“We have birth mothers,” Minjoon finishes.

“She didn’t get it,” Mingyeong adds. “We wasted recess trying to explain it to her and then she was just _that’s weird_. And walked away.”

“Are we weird?” Minjoon asks. He looks at his father’s for guidance.

“No,” Aron says in a way that has Minhyun staring at him for a moment. It’s resolute. Almost as if he had prepared himself for this conversation for a long time.

( Since when ? )

Minhyun glances in the direction of Aron’s study as Aron says: “Mingyeong, will you please go fetch me your box of legos?”

Mingyeong and Minjoon run off together and come back with it. Aron places it on the counter and fishes around in it until he finds a plain green block.

“Let’s say this is the ‘mom’ and that this piece.” Aron takes out a yellow block. “Is the ‘dad’ and that these are the children.” 

“Most families look like this.” He points at the array of four legos before him. “But it doesn’t have to be.” He takes out another green and another yellow. “Some families have two fathers.” He shifts the yellow and the two kid blocks towards the new yellow. “Some have two moms.” He shuffles the kid blocks away from the two yellows and towards the two greens. “Some only have one mom.” He splits them and sweeps the extras away.

Minjoon nods. “Like Hyunjoo.”

“And some only have one dad.” He does another shuffle of the blocks. “There are also families where it can be three dads. Or two dads and one mom. Or two dads and two moms,” Aron explains as the kids look up at him fascinated. 

“The thing is,” he says as he separates all the blocks and lays them out, “they can be arranged in any form. Just like how you can build whatever you want out of these blocks.” He holds up a blue lego piece. “There’s no correct answer on what it should look like.”

“So no,” he says as he flicks his daughter cheek gently, “it’s not weird. Unless you want a mom?”

“No!” Mingyeong proclaims as she jumps off her chair to quickly run up and hug Aron as tight as she can. Minjoon follows suit.

Mingyeong’s voice is muffled by how she has buried her face. Aron can feel that spot growing wet. “I don’t want a mom.” Minjoon nods aggressively. Aron pats both their heads before kneeling down to give them both a hugs.

“Understood,” Aron says before patting both of them, “now go shower before Minhyun-appa gets upset.”

They both pipe up and are about to hug Minhyun before remembering how they have not washed up yet. Mingyeong and Minjoon scamper off to the bathroom holding hands.

Aron turns to face Minhyun. But stills when he sees Minhyun’s expression on his face.

Minhyun has his head tilted back. He’s blinking to hold his emotions back. Fist clenched on the table counter top.

“What’s wrong?” Aron asks as he rises and steps towards Minhyun. He slides a hand over Minhyun’s fist. Minhyun relaxes his hand and Aron interlaces his fingers with Minhyun’s.

“Nothing,” Minhyun says, still refusing to look at Aron, “just—”

When he does his eyes are filled with tears. He shakes his head. And then closes their distance to rest his forehead against Aron’s shoulder. “You remind me everyday why I said _yes_.”

Aron grins. “So you mean you fall in love with me a bit more every single day,” he teases.

He gets a gentle punch to his other shoulder. “Shut up,” Minhyun complains.

And then “but yes.” Without every raising his face to look at Aron.

Aron nuzzles Minhyun and whispers: “likewise, my love. Likewise.”

 

* * *

 

“So,” Aron says, “all you have to do is this.” He demonstrates with his hands. He places a bit of rice into his gloved hands and squeezes into a ball shape. Minhyun follows suit. Mingyeong and Minjoon do too but they scooped too much rice for the size of their hand. Minhyun laughs and helps them get rid of the extra bits and shows them how to roll it into a ball.

Noah and Kkotsoon sleep in their beds by the balcony door. Probably why they chose to do it now. Otherwise there would be eager dogs weaving between legs as all the humans crowd the kitchen area.

Minjoon had insisted they all wear aprons. And to feel even more professional, wear a head wrap. It almost looked like a cooking school. Or a baking class. Aron makes a note to take a photograph afterwards.

“Now we just need to...”

It’s nothing like it looked. Cutting the fried tofu and seaweed proved to be a lot harder than the pictures made it look. The results were kind of lopsided looking shiba inu rice balls.

But it didn’t matter. The Sunday afternoon was spent in chatter and laughter. A harmonious end to the day where they could all go to bed with content hearts and big smiles to face the next week.

 

* * *

 

Mingyeong announces her arrival with a “Today, Iseul...” in an issue of a complaint.

Aron glances at Minhyun mouthing  _Iseul again_. Minhyun nods sagely before sliding close to Aron and whispers as if it was a conspiracy: “do you think she knows? That Iseul is probably obsessed with her.”

Aron wipes the plate dry. “Can you blame her? I mean look at our daughter.”

They both take a moment to melt on the inside before Mingyeong slams her hands on the countertop to get her dads to focus.

“Brought flowers for our teacher because oh she just happened to see it and it reminded her of our teacher but then didn’t get any for our helper! Because,” Mingyeong puts her hands on her hips to imitate Iseul, “boys don’t like flowers.”

“And then I got upset, so I stood up and said you don’t know that. Boys can like flowers. Just like I would love to be gifted a car!”

Minhyun looks at Aron, seemingly alarmed. Aron can see Minhyun calculating the costs in his head. Aron shakes his head.  _She means toy cars... for now_. 

 _Oh_. Minhyun whispers, visibly relieved.

 _But maybe we should save up_ , Aron adds.

Minjoon just nods in support of his sister.

“And then I told her flowers are just flowers. They aren’t,” she frowns, struggling to find the words, “ _gender coded_.” Looking awfully pleased with herself. Aron and Minhyun applaud her. Minjoon claps enthusiastically. She bows with flourish. “And if it is, it shouldn’t be.” She finishes.

Aron and Minhyun look at each other and mouth  _Minki_. Then go to Mingyeong and enacts a family hug.

“I’m proud of you, Mingyeongie,” Minhyun says when he lets go.

“Always stand up for what you believe in. You too Minjoon,” Aron adds, giving his son a ruffle of his hair.

Minjoon nods.

 

Later, when Mingyeong and Minjoon have skipped off to take a bath, Minhyun and Aron resume their dish washing duties. “Maybe we should get Minki to go to their school,” Minhyun says after a while.

“He’d complain he isn’t getting paid enough,” Aron adds. “But it would do the world a favor.”

 

* * *

 

Minhyun comes home much later than usual. Visibly exhausted from his day. Aron peeks out from his study at his husband who just tromps into the shower wordlessly.

Aron waits until Minhyun is out of the shower to offer food. _There are leftovers in the fridge_ , he mentions. _Or I could quickly make something for you if you want._

Minhyun shakes his head and just recedes into their room.

Frowning, Aron decides to call it a day: saving his files, switching off his devices and the light, and heading to bed.

The mattress dips under his weight when he slides in under the covers and notices how Minhyun has turned to face the closet doors, burrowed in his blanket. Concerned, Aron reaches for Minhyun under the cover. Touching Minhyun’s arm.

Minhyun pulls away and burrows deeper.

Aron pulls back and lies down. Arms behind his head as he looks at the ceiling.

“You don’t have to tell me about it,” Aron says, after a while, “but I’m here for you if you want to talk.”

Minhyun says nothing.

Aron is about to drift off when he feels a body slide closer to him. And an arm that lies across his abdomen. A familiar face that rests in the crook of his neck and says: “its been a long day.”

Aron responds by allowing one of his hands to run through Minhyun’s hair.

“I didn’t mean to push you away,” Minhyun says. It’s muffled by mumbling the words into skin and the blankets.

“I know,” Aron says. Because he does. And everyone needs their space and time — even individuals with their lives entwined.

“I’ll tell you after I process it.”

Aron turns to face Minhyun and presses his lips against Minhyun’s forehead; not unlike the way he does to his children. “I’ll always be here to listen.”

It earns a smile from Minhyun. Who lifts himself up on his elbows to steal a kiss from Aron’s lips.

“Thank you.” 

Minhyun makes himself comfortable on Aron’s chest. They wake up with tangled legs and interlaced fingers.

 

* * *

  

Aron has two pillows propped up behind him as he reads about an angel and a demon trying to prevent the end of times. Mingyeong and Minjoon have gone to bed an hour or two ago with Noah and Kkotsoon dutifully guarding them. Minhyun had just finished typing up his report and takes a while to absorb this scene before him.

Aron pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. An old habit of his. His hair is getting long now. Falling into his eyes more frequently so Aron pushes his bangs back, revealing his forehead before all the hair just falls back into their original position. It’s a futile activity. But Minhyun won’t mention it because Aron looks attractive when he does it.

It’s summer. Despite the air conditioned room, Aron still opts for a sleeveless top and shorts. His afternoon shadow has grown out by now. And he’s oblivious to Minhyun leaning against the door frame, too absorbed in the novel as he flips to the next page.

Aron still doesn’t look up when Minhyun gets into bed. Merely shifts a bit to make more room for his husband, eyes never leaving the book.

Minhyun frowns, feeling a bit neglected.

He rests his chin against Aron’s shoulder, reading over it.

The book is in English. And despite spending half a year in the States, his love for English movies, and marrying an American, Minhyun has yet to be able to read a lengthy novel like this. He sighs.

Aron pays no attention.

“What’s it about?” Minhyun asks, wrapping his arms around Aron’s waist.

But the thing is Aron is at a good part in the novel and explaining would mean putting it down. So he thinks, _maybe when I get to the next chapter_. Completely forgetting his husband’s less than angelic ways.

So who really is to blame when Minhyun decides that the best way to monopolize Aron’s attention is to remove his glasses. He smiles as he folds it and sets it on his bedside table.

Aron protests with a _hey_. But he also can’t read anymore without his glasses so he sets it down.

Minhyun resumes to wrapping his arms around Aron. This time he clings to Aron with his legs too as he makes a kissy face and dramatic noises, aiming for Aron’s cheek. Knowing that an annoyed Aron would thwart him.

“Ugh,” Aron complains when Minhyun finally lands one on him. But Minhyun knows he’s deflated by now. Aron had allowed Minhyun to kiss him.

He smiles brightly and Aron rolls his eyes before launching into an explanation to catch Minhyun up to speed.

It’s nice. The way Aron rests his head against Minhyun’s chest like he belongs there. His voice that Minhyun loves so much narrating a story that Minhyun doesn’t have time to read. The excitement in his eyes as he describes a part of the book that has particularly resonated with him. His side profile in the light with that sharp nose, long lashes, and jawline that Minhyun can’t help but kiss.

“Pay attention!” Aron complains with a whack that Minhyun laughs at.

“I am!”

“Sure,” Aron responds, unconvinced but continues anyway.

And the hand that finds his again. Just lightly interlocking so they won’t have to be apart. So Minhyun can trace circles into Aron’s skin and feel at home.

 

* * *

 

Aron walks in on his children with bright red lips and horribly pink cheeks and different shades of color for each eye. He can’t help it when he runs back to his study to fetch a camcorder to document all of this.

“Join us!” Mingyeong says as Aron hides his laughter behind the camera.

Minjoon tugs at Aron’s sleeves to get him to sit down. He does. But only after he’s sure that his recording equipment is safe and sound.

Something bumps into his back.

He turns around and notices Kkotsoon with a fake eyelashes on one eye and bursts out laughing.

“Laughing will ruin the make up!” Minjoon chides as he holds up a palette. Aron is surprised by his son’s assertiveness so refrains by biting on his lip. Mingyeong nods and adds in her opinion with a resounding _yeah_!

Aron sits still and lets his son paint his face as he wishes. Stopping himself from correcting Minjoon on the usages of certain devices. He’ll learn eventually. Right now this is a moment that will never be repeated.

So he closes his eyes and lets not his children have some fun.

 

“Don’t forget my nails,” Aron reminds as he wiggles all ten of them.

Mingyeong and Minjoon both shriek in delight as they scamper off to find last year’s birthday present. ( Aunts have such gendered gift giving tastes. Thankfully, none of his children adhere to any of that nonsense. )

 

Minhyun comes home to an odd sight. His family is no where to be found in the living room. Noah and Kkotsoon come to greet him but no one else does. Noah has bright pink blush on his cheeks. Kkotsoon has a set of eyelashes. Peels of laughter pour out from the playroom.

Noah and Kkotsoon accompany him to the playroom where a sight unfolds before him.

Aron has his bangs tied up in the apple core fashion with a rubber band. There’s vibrant blue eyeshadow that reaches up to his eyebrows. His lips are glossy and horrendously red. His cheeks are dusted. Eyelashes clumped together from the inaccurately use of mascara. And he wiggles his fingers proudly: each one of them with a different color. Most of it bleeds onto his finger from the way they were applied.

Minjoon and Mingyeong, too, look like a make up shop had exploded on them. They smile at him brightly.

Minjoon runs up and takes Minhyun’s hand. Minhyun reminds himself not to mind the sticky nail polish. “Can we paint your nails too?”

Minhyun nods. Loosening his tie with his free hands, slips it off, and discards it somewhere safe from this mess. “Of course,” he says as he joins Aron on the ground, “it’s been such a long time since daddy had a manicure.”

His daughter and son take up a hand each, happily executing their creative vision.

“We should invite Minki over soon,” Minhyun says after a while, still watching his two kids having all the fun in the world.

Aron agrees. “He’d be so proud.”

Minhyun nods. Pride swelling within him as well.

 

* * *

 

“I want to be a princess!” Minjoon declares.

Mingyeong joins him with a thump to her chest. “And I shall be your knight in shining armor.” Right hand over her heart, all noble like.

“Maybe you should be the court jester,” Aron says nudging Minhyun’s elbow.

“Sure, stable boy,” Minhyun quips in return.

Aron backs Minhyun against the kitchen counter and corners him there with hands on either side.

The kids have now moved their discussion onto the types of candy they want to receive for Halloween. After all it will be their first door to door trick-or-treating experience. A miracle how their break coincided with the unofficial holiday. And Hana had been going on and on about how Aron’s mother would _love_ to see her grandchildren.

Aron slides a thigh between Minhyun’s legs and smirks as he watches Minhyun’s face color.

“Look at you,” Aron says, lowering his voice on purpose, “dallying below your station.”

Minhyun grips the tabletop until his knuckles turn white. “I’m pretty sure they are of similar status.”

Aron backs off as soon as he notices his children are about to engage their parents in conversation again. “Then maybe you should be court bard.”

 

On Halloween, because of the time zone, Minki has sent them selfies of the Halloween party. Minjoon had frowned and then promptly declared that next year he wanted to be like Uncle Minki: a witch.

Minhyun, in return sends pictures of his mother-in-law helping Minjoon into a sparkly blue dress. His father-in-law attempting to tie his granddaughter’s hair ( and failing spectacularly to the point where Aron’s sisters had to step in and teach him ). And then a family photograph of them by the front door in their matching royal outfits. Everyone one of them equipped with plastic pumpkin.

Aron sends a video of Mingyeong and Minjoon shouting an excited “trick or treat” while being showered with smiles and candies.

Jonghyun quickly responds with _:D :D no wonder they kept begging me to read fairy tales_ when a particular video shows Mingyeong hacking away at some invisible foe to defend her brother’s honor. Minjoon clutches his tiara and hugs the jack-o-lantern weighed down by sweets to his chest.

 

* * *

 

The candle burns away in the middle of the table. Casting light on the sole red rose in the white porcelain vase. The flame dances, creating shadows against the dinner plates. Aron cuts away at his steak and offers it to Minhyun who bites it off the fork. Minhyun curls his spaghetti around his fork and into the spoon where he feeds Aron a bite.

It’s nice. The ambiance. The time away from home. It’s almost like their first few dates in some ways. Except they both have a few more lines on their face ( laugh lines, Minki insists ) and Aron has mellowed out over the ages.

Aron pauses demolishing the food and looks up at Minhyun, as if guessing his thoughts. “Hmm?”

Minhyun takes a sip of wine.

“I prefer the pasta you make,” he says instead.

“It’s why I told you to reconsider,” Aron replies. But there’s a smile growing on his face. Aron swaps their plates.

The steak has been cut up into neat and tidy squares.

“Try the tiramisu later,” Aron says as he swirls a spoonful of pasta, “I’ve heard good things about it.”

 

It is to die for. So is Aron’s smile. The one where he scrunches his nose and Minhyun turns soft on the inside. Even now. A decade or so after they’ve met.

 

Afterwards, they get lost in the silver screen. Fingers intertwining as they get caught up in someone else’s dream.

 

They come home quite late but happy. Thank the babysitter who almost dozed off from waiting, tip her extra, and pay for her cab home.

Arm in arm they stumble their way to their children’s room and watch their slumbering figures. Mingyeong is outstretched like a star. Fingers curled into tiny fists. Minjoon sleeps on his side, curled into a small ball as he hugs his stuffed fox tightly.

Aron leans against the doorway and lets out a sigh.

“I was so scared,” he says as he stares straight ahead. The dogs bed are almost tucked underneath their children’s bed. Noah glances at them while Kkotsoon sleeps. Aron’s hand tightens around Minhyun’s. “About raising them. About whether or not I would be a good dad. I—”

“Didn’t know if it was the right decision to bring them into the world,” he confesses. Maybe he would have sagged if not for the door frame of admitting to something he harbored for so long. “What if I did it wrong? That would be on me. Just because I always wanted to be a dad didn’t mean I was going to be a good one you know?”

He looks at Minhyun this time, searching his eyes. Minhyun doesn’t say anything because he knows that’s not what Aron wants. And Aron has more to say.

“What if my selfishness costed them their happiness?” Aron lets out a shaky laugh. “And it’s ridiculous because other couples probably don’t think this deeply.”

He clutches Minhyun’s hand like it is his lifeline. And in that moment maybe it is.

“But you were there. You were always going to be there, for me.” Aron exhales. “Here. I mean.”

“But now,” he says as he looks back at Mingyeong and Minjoon, “I’m glad I did.” And then turning back to face Minhyun: “With you.”

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Minhyun is tired of being reduced to emotional messes. So when he feels the first pricks of tears he says instead: “maybe we should go on more date nights if you’re going to be this sappy every time.” He grins for extra measure.

“Maybe we should,” Aron agrees. Almost docile at this point as he turns back to gaze at their children.

After a while they decide to head back to their room. Readjust their blankets, tuck it in properly, and check their star shaped night light before they bid their children good night.

In the hallway, just before the entrance to their bedroom, Aron stops. And says, all coy: “you want to know a secret?”

Minhyun leans in, frowning and curious.

“I love you,” Aron says swiftly, pecking Minhyun’s cheek. He then runs off into the bathroom while cackling like a school aged boy.

It really isn’t much of a secret but it’s always nice to know.

Minhyun sighs and shakes his head. One part exasperated and two parts fond.

  

* * *

 

Aron clutches his head as he stares blankly at his screen. His study door is kept ajar. Usually it provides him comfort but today the sound of his children frolicking and his dogs barking only gets on his nerves.

He pokes his head out the door. Minhyun looks up, doll in hand, probably in the midst of playing house. “I’m trying to work in here,” he points, “can you maybe turn it down a notch?”

Minhyun nods then turns to Mingyeong and Minjoon with his index finger pressed against his lips. “Shhhhhh.”

“Shhhhhhh,” the siblings mimic before turning to each other and giggling.

Aron recedes into his study and shuts the door.

 

Peace never lasts long.

It is a cacophony of yelling, followed by screams of _put me down! Put me down!_ some clamoring of things being knocked over. A few excited barks. And a yelp followed by a fit of giggles.

Aron walks out of his study and gives them a pointed look. “Please,” he begs.

His children cover their mouths with a small _oops_. Minhyun manages to look remorseful.

Aron hermits again.

 

It lasts for roughly an hour.

The TV is on way too loud. And Minhyun is covering the song being played. Followed by a flurry of cheers and applause that don’t know to wait till the end.

Something in Aron snaps.

He walks out his study. Minhyun is still happily crooning, eyes closed, his falsetto hitting the notes easily. His children are smiling brightly, utterly enthralled by their father’s vocal display.

Aron walks up to Minhyun and grabs his shoulder. It interrupts the song as Minhyun's eyes grow wide. “Will you please,” Aron says, voice quiet, “shut up?”

Minhyun blinks and reaches for Aron’s hand. “Are you okay?” he asks, concerned. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m fine,” Aron snaps. “I only asked for some peace and quiet three times. All of which was blatantly ignored.”

Minhyun frowns as Aron pulls his hand away. “I can see that you’re upset. Why don’t you—”

“No,” Aron hisses before continuing in a mocking tone. “Why don’t you just do as you’re told and shut up.”

Obviously he regrets it a minute later when he’s back in his study with his face buried in his hands.

 

The house is a lot more quiet. Which only grows on Aron’s nerves because everyone seems to tiptoe. And really, whose fault is it anyway.

Minhyun speaks in a hushed voice to Mingyeong and Minjoon who have made a game out of keeping their volume lowered. Minhyun makes a point to ignore Aron whenever he steps out of the study for a bathroom break. Then cooks dinner with the kids and promptly forgetting the fourth portion.

It’s as if Aron doesn’t exist — which is what he deserves after that outburst.

So Aron hangs his head and mulls over his words and gets nowhere with the file on his monitor.

 

Noah claws at Aron’s study door. He usually just nudges his way in when the door is kept ajar. It’s a sign of bedtime.

Aron dutifully heads to their bedroom to kiss then goodnight.

Mingyeong puts both hands on either side of Aron’s cheek. “Appa, are you still upset?” she asks.

“Of course not,” Aron says as he turns his face to kiss the palm of his daughter’s hand.

He can feel Minhyun’s eye roll from somewhere behind him.

Minjoon wraps his arms around Aron’s neck and gives him a hug. Then plants a kiss on Aron’s cheek but not before saying — “but Minhyun appa is still sad.”

“I know,” Aron says as he returns the cheek kiss, “I’ll try to make him less sad.”

Minjoon nods and settles back into bed, allowing Aron to tuck him in.

“Good night,” Minhyun says, flipping off the main switch, letting the night light cast stars upon the ceiling. 

“I’m sorry,” Aron says after they reach their room.

“Oh really?” Minhyun replies with his arms folded.

“I shouldn’t have lashed out at you.” He closes his eyes. “The project isn’t going well. Everyone’s disagreeing on things. And all the documentaries I’ve submitted — the more personal ones — have been sent back with a _this is nice but we can’t air it unless a few tweaks are made_.” Aron looks at Minhyun, defeated. “They want to edit it for content, Minhyun. For what audience! It’ll lose the essence and the message if they do it and...”

Aron trails off. Peeking at Minhyun’s expression beneath his bangs. Minhyun’s eyes have lost a lot of its harshness and his lips are no longer set in a frown. Well they are but now for different reasons.

Aron takes in a deep breath. “On some level,” he says feeling small, “I felt bad. Like you were carrying the weight of this household.” He quickly raises his hand to explain. “It’s not that I’m insecure. It’s more because of how you come home sometimes looking burnt out and I just wanted to help share that weight.” He then laughs at his own absurdity. “Only for it to stress me out and end up like this.”

Aron falls silent and waits for Minhyun to speak.

“Apology accepted,” Minhyun says finally.

Minhyun walks towards Aron. Aron puts out a hand, palms facing the ceiling and Minhyun places his own within it. He flips them over and brushes the back of Aron’s hand against his lips.

“Thanks,” Minhyun says, “for telling me.”

Aron laughs but doesn’t mean it. “Who else would I tell it to?”

“You know what I mean,” Minhyun says softly.

“It’s _our_ household,” Minhyun says as Aron walks towards him, allowing his forehead to fall against Minhyun’s shoulder. “You do more than enough.” Minhyun pats Aron’s head. Aron feels embarrassed by how Minhyun can probably feel his tears soaking through his shirt.

“Don’t compromise on your values,” Minhyun continues. “It’s your most charming point,” he teases and it elicits a laugh out of Aron.

“I’ll support you. Every step of the way. So don’t rush,” Minhyun says as he wraps his arms around Aron and holds him closer.

 

* * *

 

Aron is attempting to explain to Mingyeong and Minjoon what greater than and less than symbols mean when he is saved by the ring of the door bell. It was much easier when he was the one being taught. Not the other way around. But he does enjoy the moment when it all clicks and their eyes light up and they excitedly scribble their answer on the paper.

“Hey,” he greets Dongho who returns the greeting. Dongho waves at Mingyeong and Minjoon who hurriedly clamor to welcome him. Dongho almost topples over because they attack him when he’s balanced on one foot trying to take off a shoe.

“Thanks for doing this,” Aron says as he invites Dongho in. “My project is in its finishing stages, about to wrap up, and it’s tax season for Minhyun.”

Dongho grimaces when he hears that. “Don’t mention it,” he says, both hands occupied by the heads of seven year old brats who find their uncles more interesting than their father. ( Even the dogs don’t remain loyal. Ugh. ) “I’m their godfather and I had some time.”

Aron is about to grab the car keys when he studies his friend for a bit.

“Are you hungry?” he asks. Suddenly feeling like a terrible host. “There’s some carbonara in the fridge from last night you could heat up. Or order something. All my details are already loaded in the app,” he points and Minjoon holds up their shared phone. Aron’s old one when he decided to get an upgrade.

Dongho laughs heartily. “Don’t worry about me hyung. Go do what you’re supposed to do.” Mingyeong does a shooing gesture that Dongho copies. His face brightens in a wide and playful smile.

“Besides,” Dongho says at the entryway of Aron and Minhyun’s apartment, “I’ve missed your Italian food.”

“Next time,” Aron promises as he tugs on his shoe, “I’ll cook it fresh just for you.”

Dongho nods before turning around and herding Aron’s children back to their homework.

“No playing until you finish” is the last thing Aron hears before the door shuts as Dongho denies all their requests to _go up! Up! Like a plane!_. He smiles before hurrying off.

 

It’s late. Spring nights are still chilly. Aron almost regrets not taking his car but parking is such a hassle in certain areas of Seoul. He huddles in his coat as he lugs the items he had picked up at the grocery store.

He feels a tug on his grocery bag. He’s about to swing around and punch whoever is trying to rob him of groceries when he sees Minhyun holding the other end of the bag.

“What are you doing?” Aron questions. The adrenaline coursing through his veins make it sound a lot harsher than normal.

Minhyun only grins. The one Mingyeong has when she’s up to no good. “Trying to seize your heart,” he replies as he helps Aron with the bag. “Did it work?”

Aron glares at Minhyun. “Yes.” That much was obvious. “And not in a good way.”

Minhyun’s laugh rings through the mostly empty street. A few pedestrians turn to see what could possibly cause so much joy. But the street is dim with only a few lights and there’s not much to ogle at. Just two men carrying a bag full of groceries, one handle in each hand. The other hand also carrying bags.

They walk home. Minhyun spends some of it just staring up at the sky where light pollution has long clouded any glimpse of the stars above. Just an weird haze where even the moon doesn’t seem as bright compared to all the ads at the top of skyscrapers.

They are two blocks away when Minhyun speaks up again.

“I miss this,” he says and Aron glances at him, hoping he’d explain more.

“Grocery shopping. We used to do it all the time, together.”

“When there was only two of us,” Aron reminds, “and you would always stop me from making certain purchases with a _do we really need that_?”

“Did you though?” Minhyun asks.

“No,” Aron replies, “but my point is—”

“Exactly,” Minhyun says with a bright grin.

“I’m a lot freer now,” Aron says, “and I’m not the one spoiling Mingyeong and Minjoon with unnecessary purchases.” 

Minhyun gasps. Feigning offense. “Must be Minki,” he blames.

Aron gives him a pointed look.

“When they look up at you like that,” Minhyun pouts and mimics their expression, “how could you say no.”

“They literally learnt that from me and you can say no just fine,” Aron retorts.

“This is on you then,” Minhyun wags a finger but it gets ruined with all the bags they are hoisting. “You shouldn’t have taught them that.”

Aron chuckles.

“But really,” Minhyun says as they wait for the red light to turn green, “can’t we just go grocery shopping one of these days? Together?”

Aron hums.

“How about Costco?” he turns to Minhyun. “We could save on lunch with free samples,” he says in an attempt to persuade, knowing Minhyun’s frugal habits.

Minhyun laughs.

“Sounds like a plan.” And then: “let’s bring the kids. Maybe they won’t ask for anything when they are stuffed full.”

“You sure Minjoon wouldn’t want a shrimp cocktail platter?” Aron jests.

“Sounds like someone’s starting to plan a house party,” Minhyun teases. It’s a good idea really. Their kids would be delighted.

 

Speaking of which, by the time they step through the entrance, they find Dongho fast asleep on the couch. Minjoon is curled up on Dongho’s chest, using one of his arms as a pillow, while Mingyeong rests his head on one of Dongho’s thighs. He must have tired himself out then the children decided to join him.

Aron puts a hand to his own chest and notices how flat it is and how flabby his stomach has gotten.

“Maybe I should work out,” he says as Minhyun walks over to kick Dongho’s foot lightly to wake him up. A sweet _Baekho-yah, Baekho-yah_ to cover up his rude actions.

Aron shakes his head and carries all the groceries to the kitchen to sort and store.

 

* * *

 

“Welcome back,” Minhyun greets but his daughter says nothing and storms past him, making a bee line for the restroom.

“You have something,” Aron points out, touching the corner of his lip but drops it when Mingyeong is clearly out of ear shot.

Minjoon trudges in a few seconds later, carefully removing his shoes and lining them up for tomorrow. He struggles a bit with all the flowers in his arms, but still manages to align his and his sister’s shoes. He then brushes past Aron and places all the flowers onto the tea table. Minjoon then slides off his backpack, unzips it, and dumps all the contents to the ground.

Chocolates and letters litter their timber floor.

Minjoon looks at his parents sheepishly.

Minhyun has clearly pieced it together and is trying not to laugh, judging from the way his lips are forcibly pressed into a thin line but his eyes are expressing glee.

Mingyeong storms out a moment later, the chocolate stain removed. She uses her sleeve to wipe off the excess water around her mouth. “Minjoon got chocolate and flowers from boys and girls,” she wails, “I got none!”

She points an accusatory finger as Minjoon raises his hands to admit defeat. “You got one from Iseul,” he points out which is met by a groan.

“And my friends!” Mingyeong exclaims. “I only got friendship chocolates not love chocolates!”

“I shared mine with you,” Minjoon adds.

“It’s not the same!” Mingyeong yells.

Minhyun and Aron exchange glances. Kids these days. Seven year olds with more guts and advances than most teenagers on Valentine’s Day. Aron would have whistled if not for the brief flash of a very disapproving Minhyun appearing in his mind.

Minjoon walks over to his sister and pats her back lovingly. Giving her a hug as she dramatically buries herself in Minjoon’s embrace. “There, there,” he says and Aron almost runs into his study for his camera. Almost. ( His phone is recording but shh that doesn’t count. )

She seems to collect herself after a while and says, “don’t worry. He turned them all down saying he was too young. And that he appreciated their courage and would treat their gifts with care.”

“And then he gave all of them to his sister,” Minhyun whispers to Aron when he walks past Aron to put his mug in the sink.

“Their fault for not knowing that Minjoon doesn’t have a strong sweet tooth. He probably appreciates the flowers and letters more,” Aron says as he gestures at Minjoon with his chin. The boy is already flattening out the letters. Maybe he’ll make a collection out of them. As for flowers — he’s recently moved past the dried flowers phase ( has already made a bunch of things out of them ) and into the preserved flowers.

Minhyun hums in agreement. “Who knew our boy was going to be such a heartthrob?”

Aron slides an elbow on the counter and leans against his hand.  He flashes Minhyun his most awarding smile. “You couldn’t tell?”

“He must take after me,” Minhyun concludes.

 

* * *

 

The sun bakes the sand until it has people hopping towards the sea. It’s why Minhyun always comes prepared. A large beach towel and a umbrella to provide shade and shelter whenever the rest of his family tires out from splashing at each other.

Smell of salt brine and sun lotion remain the two strongest scents in this crowded beach. Then again, it’s summer vacation, and everyone wants to experience a summer vibe.

Minhyun shifts and finds a more comfortable position on his towel. Book propped on his stomach as he reads a compilation of poems.

It’t not long until familiar voices grow closer and louder. His children pile onto him. Wet bathing suits still dripping, soaking through Minhyun’s shirt easily. He’s glad he has that barrier. And also Aron forcing him to swallow a few allergy pills before embarking on this trip. Said man has the gall to look sheepish as if he couldn’t do anything to stop the kids.

Aron is just as damp as Mingyeong and Minjoon. He pushes his hair out of the way and it stays like that — slicked back. It causes the sand around him to grow even wetter as large droplets of water get absorbed. Minhyun thinks it’s the light — or the lack thereof — reminding him of their younger days. The tuft of hair around his belly button, the ink on the side of his waist, the look Aron gives him.

Minhyun uses the book to fan himself. It’s the summer after all.

“We missed you out there,” Minjoon says sweetly, ducking his head into Minhyun’s arms as he gives Minhyun a tight hug.

“Did you?” Minhyun asks as Aron plops down beside him. “You guys seem to be having a lot of fun without me.”

“We only did that so you would want to join us,” Mingyeong explains, smoothly.

Minhyun chuckles. And then pries his wet shirt off his skin, using the collar to fan himself.

“How about we get some shaved ice?” Aron suggests.

Minjoon and Mingyeong whip their heads towards Aron and look at him as if he’s a hero.

“Come on then,” Aron says as he rises to his feet.

Mingyeong flops over and clings to Minhyun’s legs. “But it’s so hot,” she whines as Minjoon does a full on pout while wiggling his toes.

Minhyun shrugs while he puts his hands on his daughter’s head, mouthing: _my hands are full_.

“Fine,” Aron concedes, “what flavors do you want?”

Mingyeong forgets about her act completely and jumps to her feet. “Strawberry!”

Aron smiles but doesn’t make note of his daughter’s antics.

“Mango,” Minjoon pipes up.

Aron pretends to take his order by air writing into the palm of his hand. He then walks to the spot behind Minhyun and throws his arms around Minhyun’s neck.

“What about you?” he says voice almost sultry. And then only audible to Minhyun’s ears: “I only offered because you looked like a snack but I only want to kiss you when you taste like artificially flavored watermelon.”

“Too bad,” Minhyun says, ignoring the way he burns despite not being directly exposed to the sun, “I’m in the mood for green apple.”

Aron scowls just for show before dutifully running off to purchase the shaved ice.

Minhyun plays with his daughter’s hair as he reads them a poem. Then spends rest of the time trying to explain said poem. Minjoon has a look of confusion while Mingyeong presses on with _but why_? 

Aron eventually returns with his hands full. Out of breath. The sun had dried parts of him off and Minhyun can see the areas of skin that might be sun burnt. He makes a note later to reapply sunscreen as he fetches two of the containers.

“Long line,” Aron explains as Mingyeong force feeds him a bite of strawberry ice, and chomping on the watermelon one in Aron’s hands.

They swap flavors. Well more like their children force feed them and then steal bites of their parents’ ice.

Minhyun almost wishes they had a camera when Minjoon feeds Mingyeong and then wipes off the stray liquid on the corner of Mingyeong’s mouth with his hands.

Aron sits beside Minhyun. The two of them are facing opposite directions. Minhyun stares at the sea while Aron pulls his knees to his chest to keep his toes in the umbrella’s shadow. The kids flank either side, facing the ocean. They get bored with flavors easily so they have begun mixing their two together to make mango strawberry. Soon they become lost in their own world of artificial flavoring experimentations.

Minhyun chuckles at the sight before scooping a bite of his ice and holding it out for Aron to eat. Aron flashes him a smile of gratitude. But instead of taking a bite from the spoon, one of his hands comes up to hold the back of Minhyun’s head, leans in for a kiss, and pushes his tongue in for a taste. He pulls away, keeping eye contact, and licking his lips for extra measure.

“Green apple was a good choice,” Aron says.

Minhyun doesn’t know if he wants to dump his ice on Aron or press it against his burning cheek. So he just squeezes the cup tighter instead.

 

* * *

  

“My son!” Minhyun’s mother exclaims as she runs and pulls Aron into an embrace. Minhyun’s mouth falls open. Both of his hands are loaded with gifts. It is Chuseok after all.

“Did she just—” Minhyun stammers, looking between his mother and his husband.

Minhyun’s mother cups Aron’s face. “You look well.” And then more seriously. “If your husband mistreats you, divorce him, okay?”

Aron only laughs as Minhyun protests with an “I’m your son!” It falls on deaf ears because his mother soon embraces her grandchildren and begins to dote upon them.

Sujin makes her appearance and helps Minhyun with some of the gifts. Minhyun, bitter, mutters: “I’m going to make his mom love me more than him.”

“And how’s that going?” Sujin asks. There’s a lilt in her tone of amusement that Minhyun does not appreciate.

“Well,” Minhyun gives her an indignant huff. “We talk all the time.”

Sujin raises a brow.

“Okay, I send her videos of Mingyeong and Minjoon and she responds with stickers. We’ll get there eventually!”

Sujin gives her little brother a sympathetic pat of the shoulder while trying to stifle her laugh.

 

Chuseok with the Hwang household has always been like this. It’s gotten merrier over the years because of the additional members but the heart remains the same. Preparations always seem fun, no matter how tedious.

Minhyun smiles when he catches Minjoon showing off his songpyeon and getting praised for it. Mingyeong joins in on the ganggangsullae and has a ton of fun judging from how bright she smiles. Aron runs around trying to capture these moments for eternity.

 

One morning, Minhyun wakes up and finds that the spot next to him, the _yo_ that was laid out beside him, empty. It’s uncharacteristic. Minhyun frowns. Mingyeong and Minjoon are still sleeping soundly, so Minhyun decides to go check on his husband.

He finds Aron in the kitchen. He’s shadowing Minhyun’s mother. Dutifully holding his camcorder as he asks questions. Every question is sincere and filled with curiosity. He doesn’t interrupt. He lets her finish before he follows up. His mother chuckles at a few points. Feeds her son-in-law when she’s tired of answering certain questions. And laughs with Aron.

Minhyun tugs his jacket closer and leans against the doorframe. 

He finds a smile on his face. And warmth spreading from the center of his chest as his mother dotes on Aron.

 

* * *

 

Mingyeong and Minjoon are gone for the weekend. Kidnapped by their Hwang grandparents. Or as Minhyun’s mother puts it: _you rarely let us see our grandchildren_ and _I bet you two want to spend some time together_. With an added wink that almost had Minhyun wanting to interject that more quality time would not equate to more grandchildren. But she already knew that.

So it’s a date night of sorts. Or maybe a staycation. Doesn’t matter. Either way they spent the better part of the day lounging around. And now Aron is at the stove cooking galbi jjim. He’s wearing the apron he received for his birthday. The Batman one that Mingyeong and Minjoon had picked out. When asked why Minjoon declared he wanted to be Tim Drake while Mingyeong just announced Batgirl!

The scent of galbi jjim permeating the entire apartment finally tempts Minhyun to leave the comfort of the couch and walk into the kitchen. Aron is hunched over, tasting and making adjustments as need be. He’s wearing a simple t-shirt under the apron. The collar doesn’t reach up high enough and exposes the nape of his neck.

And really. It was just there. What was Minhyun going to do? Say no?

So with one hand on Aron’s waist, Minhyun lowers his head and kisses the back of Aron’s neck.

The reaction is prompt. Aron reaches back to cover the expanse of skin, face flushed. “What are you doing?”

It could be due to the heat of the kitchen. That doesn’t sit well with Minhyun. 

Minhyun shrugs as a response as he takes a step closer, forcing Aron to shuffle away from the stove top. Minhyun eyes it. He has some time before it requires another stir.

He grins, Cheshire. “I just had to.”

He takes another step closer and slots his leg between Aron’s when he has him cornered. “Just like what I’m about to do now,” he says as a warning. A hand cradling Aron’s head as he leans in for a kiss.

Minhyun smiles when Aron meets him half way. Aron fists Minhyun’s shirt as Minhyun licks into Aron’s mouth.

It’s only when Minhyun’s hand makes it past the waist band of Aron’s briefs that Aron stops him with a firm hand. “We should do this after dinner,” he says sternly. “The galbi jjim will burn.”

“Let it,” Minhyun says. Voice low as he brushes Aron’s cheek with his nose, trying to seduce Aron to return to where they left off.

“You’re the devil, you know that right?” Aron hisses but it sounds weak.

Minhyun leans back a bit to observe Aron’s expression, both hands still unrelenting on either side of his husband.  He merely smirks and says: “Oh, I know.”

Minhyun leans in to steal another kiss, not parting until he’s certain Aron is breathless, and giggles as a dizzied Aron tried to salvage their dinner.

It doesn’t matter. Aron will eventually make galbi jjim again. Tonight’s main course is the dessert.

 

* * *

 

Minjoon and Mingyeong are engrossed in their coloring book. Minhyun’s head is resting on Aron’s shoulder as they both read their own books. Minjoon looks up after a while, tired of coloring in bells, flower bouquets, and balloon arches. “How did you get married?”

The question comes out a bit awkward. But is salvaged by Mingyeong’s enthusiastic: “yeah! Tell me about wedding day!” And then offering her brother a high five. The coloring books are forgotten.

Aron chuckles and juts a thumb in Minhyun’s direction. “Well, your dad here was all _I don’t believe in the institution of marriage_.” Minhyun sits up, about to protest when Aron says: “but then the day marriage equality was passed we just looked at each other.” Aron turns to face Minhyun and holds his gaze, recreating that day’s scene. “And said: let’s get married.” Aron laughs fondly st the memory.

“So the day it was officially allowed for, we walked up to the district office and got registered.” Aron shrugs.

Minhyun adds: “It’s also because if your dad gets sick.” Minhyun pats Aron’s knee. “And he’s in a hospital, I wouldn’t be able to make any decisions for him. Or visit him. Because of legal technicalities.”

“That’s not fair!” Minjoon exclaims, fists clenched. Mingyeong stands up as if ready to fight someone.

“It is. But it’s also the law. An outdated one but one people adhere to and refused to change for the longest time,” Minhyun explains as they both nod.

“But wait,” Mingyeong frowns, “what about the wedding?”

“You mean a ceremony?” Aron asks as they both nod eagerly.

“Ah,” Minhyun sounds.

“We never had one,” Aron says. “I mean there was a public celebration where we dressed up and were greeted and congratulated by our community after registering but... we never had a wedding like the ones you guys see in movies.”

“But. But,” Minjoon splutters.

“You have to!” Mingyeong insists, clearly having none of this. “All my friends’ parents have pictures and videos of their wedding day and you guys—” she points angry, accusatory fingers, “are so much happier and stronger than all of them.”

Aron is about to point out that technically he does have videos because it was a publicly televised event when they stepped under the arches and across a rainbow flag. But Minjoon stops him with a “you deserve one.”

Aron looks at Minhyun. “We do, don’t we?”

Minhyun looks at and then back at his children who look at him expectantly. The clasp their hands together like a prayer and utter _please. Please. Please_.

“I suppose,” Minhyun says finally but whatever he was going to say next is silenced by Mingyeong and Minjoon trying to hug them as tight as they could in their joy.

 

* * *

 

Minhyun turns over to face Aron. “Are you still awake?” he whispers.

Aron makes a noise, definitely not coherent enough, but Minhyun continues anyway. “Are we really going to do this?” he asks, still ruminating over their children’s request from earlier this evening. “This is insane.”

Aron opens his eyes. They are still laden with sleep but he does his best. “Tell me you don't want it,” Aron says, voice even, “and I'll tell the kids first thing in the morning that I called it off.”

As touching as the notion is, Minhyun deflects and says: “but the expenses and—”

Aron interrupts him. “Just say the words, Minhyun. I won't force you to go through anything you don't want to.”

Minhyun stays silent for a moment. Aron reaches over to cup his cheek and stroke it with a thumb. He offers Minhyun a soft smile.

“But I want to,” Minhyun confesses, voice small. How could he not? He objected to the institution of marriage not to the ceremony, which is essentially just a fun party celebrating their relationship and commitment to each other. Minhyun turns so that his lips brush against the heart of Aron’s hand.

“You don’t have to worry about expenses,” Aron says. “We make enough. And I’m sure our parents would be thrilled by this they would be more than happy to chip in if we asked.” 

“We could also save in other ways so they never have to chip in,” Aron adds, “after all, everything is for free as long as we don’t break it or buy it.” He wiggles his brows. “We can still try on suits but then go to the department store and get something on the clearance rack we can use for the wedding and for work. Go cake tasting but note what flavor and style we want and go commission the bakery on the corner of our street.”

Minhyun laughs.

And Aron smiles.

“There are always cheaper routes, my love,” Aron uses both his hands to capture one of Minhyun’s and raises them to his lips for a kiss.

Minhyun lets out a breath. Then frowns. “What makes you think I want a Western wedding?”

Aron freezes. Eyes widening. “Did you want a traditional one? I mean I’m not opposed.”

Which has Minhyun bursting into a fit of laughs. The expression was priceless. “Nah,” he says with a shake of his head, “it’s too expensive. And gender roles we’d have to tweak or reinvent.”

“Hmm,” Aron says as if in deep thought. “Guess that means a destination wedding is out of the question too.”

“Oh?” Minhyun sounds, tone playful, “where did you have in mind?”

“Some where tropical. Maybe on a beach in some island. Or a cruise.” Before Aron thinks about it a bit deeper. Sand gets everywhere and Minhyun is allergic. Not to mention the hassle of wind. “On second thought, maybe not.”

Minhyun’s free hand comes to find Aron’s.

“Are we really doing this then?” Minhyun inquires, “like those Westerners renewing their vows a decade after we got married.”

“What?” Aron asks teasingly, “have your feelings changed in the last ten years?” He gasps. Then whispers: “is this you dropping hints that it’s time for me to find a new husband? Because I will.” Aron slicks his hair back. “I still got it.”

Minhyun is about to jab Aron in the stomach when he gets stopped by Aron’s hand. It then dissolves into a wrestle where the original intent is lost to forgetful minds.

 

It’s their fifth set of suits. The lady that was helping them has moved on to another couple, clearly more interested in flattering a girl with a gem the size of a 500 won coin on her finger than two men who won’t make up their minds. It suits Aron and Minhyun just fine.

Minhyun balks at the swallowtail tuxedo. “It’s not bad,” he says, “it’s just not _you_.”

“Wow, thanks,” Aron replies, sarcastically.

“Manners maketh men,” Minhyun quotes. “Except I’d rather it be a man I’d recognize at the alter.” And that alone has Aron trying on something else.

They’ve gone through another set of 5. Even clapped for the young couple when the bride to be steps out and twirls in a dress she almost cries in.

Ties are far too plain so Aron and Minhyun are trying their hand at bow ties. Pre-tied ones are stiff and inorganic looking. So Aron is doing his best to tie one for Minhyun. His tongue pokes out of his mouth from concentration. It’s adorable. And really, who is to blame when Minhyun catches Aron’s eyes falling on his lips after finishing the knot. He tilts Aron’s chin with one hand and supports Aron’s back with another when he leans in for a kiss.

He misses the gasp and the applause from the bride-to-be.

The lady manning the shop clears her throat. “Can I help you with something?”

They part. Unable to look into each other’s eyes for a moment.

“We’re fine,” Minhyun says. He knows his ears are red. But perhaps not as red as Aron’s swollen lips. He feels a surge of pride.

“Thank you for your assistance,” Aron manages.

They decide it’s the perfect excuse to not buy anything at the store.

 

“I’m so glad they decided to let the kids sample for free,” Aron says as he leans back in his chair, putting a hand over his stomach and purposefully lets it bulge out a bit. The wedding cake planner had gone to fetch another cake to sample.

Minhyun chuckles and puts down his fork. “Well technically all they are doing is finishing ours,” pointing at Mingyeong who has shoved down the rest of Minhyun’s slice.

“This was fun but also a terrible idea,” Aron notes, wiping off the cream off Minjoon’s cheek, “I can’t tell what flavors I like or I don’t like anymore because I’m too full to appreciate it.”

Minhyun laughs. “I can’t tell the flavors apart anymore. They just run into each other like a blur.”

Aron nods and then flashes a smile when the caterer returns.

“How was it?” she asks.

“Delicious,” Minhyun lies through his teeth.

“I thought it would be better if you used fresh cream,” Mingyeong says. “Maybe a bit of fruit too.”

“What a brilliant idea,” the planner says with a polite smile, “I’ll pass it on.”

“Well then,” she continues, “have you decided on one?”

Minhyun look at Aron and then back at the planner. “We’ll go home and discuss. Thank you for today,” he says as he offers a hand.

 

And discuss they will. Mingyeong will decide on the flavor of the cake and the catering company for the after party. Minjoon gets to select the flowers.

Aron records them doing their part of the wedding planning. Watches their excitement as they get to weigh in and lead in the areas of their interest.

Mingyeong has serious conversations with Dongho about food allergies and what she should keep in mind when selecting catering companies. They narrow down Mingyeong’s list of interests ( favorite food joints ) to something more manageable. Then she swap notes with her brother to choose the look for the cake.

Jonghyun takes Minjoon to a florist. Who talks to the florist about the flowers he has in mind, boldly setting his foot down when the price becomes too ridiculous, all while clutching onto Jonghyun’s hand. Minjoon has late night discussions with Mingyeong that gets busted because Mingyeong never learned to whisper properly. Those discussions revolve around color themes and what they want to wear to the wedding. It serves as the central core to what Minjoon works around. Some days, after he finishes his homework, he sits on their living room floor with the fresh flowers Jonghyun had bought for him, trying different arrangements to see how he likes them.

Aron and Minhyun mostly just watch them. Someone’s arm is always around someone’s waist. Or just leaning against each other’s arms. Both thinking this was a good idea.

Things fall into place at the right place and at the right time.

 

Aron adjusts the lapel brooch on Minhyun’s black blazer and jokingly ties a belt around Minhyun’s waist. “You should walk down the aisle just like this.”

They are in the midst of another fitting but this time with the contents of their closet. Aron only has a blazer on, too lazy to pair it with a shirt. Minhyun traces a finger down Aron’s bare chest seductively. “Why don’t _you_ walk down the aisle like this?”

Aron’s lips curl into a smile. “You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

Minhyun straightens Aron’s blazer, tugging both sides. “Of course I would,” Minhyun replies smoothly. “Or maybe you could wear a mesh shirt underneath. I wouldn’t be opposed.”

Aron chuckles. “Are you trying to dress me like one of your boy band favorites?”

“Oops, exposed.”

Minhyun lets his head fall and touches it against Aron’s forehead.

“Should we consult Minki?” he says after a while.

“Maybe match with our children and then consult Minki,” Aron supplies. “Mingyeong is wearing a lilac ombré dress but insists on wearing leggings underneath it because it’ll be too airy.”

“Minjoon still can’t make up his mind about a three piece suit or suspenders.” Aron pulls out a suit from the closet and puts it over Minhyun, giving it a once over. “Dark blue or grey might work.”

 

Minhyun traces the edges of the printed invitations. The crisp white edges and the calligraphic lettering.

It really doesn’t settle in until you are staring at your names side by side.

It’s an odd experience. Being married ten years ago and confronted with it again. Not in a bad way. Just another chance to revisit and reflect.

He files the last one and takes a glance at Aron who’s taking a victory nap on his desk. He’s finished the final touches of his life’s work that will be premiered at their wedding.

The setting sun casts teal and pink streaks over the sky. It falls over the study, muting the colors, whilst drawing attention to the slumbering figures. Casting shadows that accentuate the sharp contours of his face and highlighting how Aron’s lashes form a perfect fan.

Minhyun drapes his jacket over Aron’s shoulders and says a quiet _thank you_ before exiting the study.

He’s been struck by inspiration.

 

The signs outside the wedding venue boast their family photo. And then just Minhyun and Aron from the photo shoot they had a few weeks back. Somehow in the span of the shoot, Aron had perfected his smoldering look. Minhyun barely managed to find his best angle. He stares at the poster fondly.

His father clears his throat as he walks up to Minhyun and offers an arm. “You ready?” he asks.

Minhyun takes a look at his father before placing a hand over his galloping heart. “Am I supposed to be this nervous? I’ve done this before.”

His father laughs. “If you aren’t, you’re doing it wrong.”

Minhyun flashes him a grateful smile before taking his father’s arm.

“Or you’re doing it with the wrong person,” his dad teases. Minhyun almost wishes his mother was outside of the venue with them so he could give his father a whack.

The piano sounds. The doors are thrown open. Mingyeong and Minjoon walk dutifully, hand in hand, as they throw the petals into the air. Dongho sings and Minhyun takes the first step onto the red carpet.

He notices his friends that he’s made through the ages. The ones that stayed with him. The ones that were new but have become irreplaceable in the process. Jaehwan claps exceptionally loud. And Minhyun thinks of a week ago when Jaehwan asked them why they weren’t planning on having a Bachelor’s party. It’s technically their first wedding. 

Aron just threw an arm around Minhyun possessively and said: “if I wanted to celebrate a single life then I wouldn’t have gotten married in the first place.”

Minhyun chuckles at the thought.

His family catches his eye. Sujin is dressed up — perhaps even more so than at her own wedding, trying to show Minhyun up. His mother is trying to hold back tears as Aron’s mother attempts to comfort her. Grace and Hannah smile so brightly it makes Minhyun beam.

He takes the steps towards the alter as his father returns to his seat. And there, with his hands folded before him, he waits for the doors to open again.

He isn’t prepared for it when they do.

There are many adjectives that can be used to describe people. But nothing gets the point across as succinctly as beautiful.

Aron enters the venue with his father. His hair now touched with a tinge of red for this special occasion. The earring spans down his helix and the chain seats as he walks, drawing attention to his face full of elation and pride.

Minhyun almost forgets how to breath. And wished their rehearsal was a dress rehearsal so that he would have been prepared for it today when he walked towards Aron last night. Minki smirks in the audience ( but it goes unseen by Minhyun ).

Aron parts from his father and takes Minhyun’s hands.

It takes Jonghyun to clear his throat for Minhyun to remember his part. Aron gives him a soft smile and a warm squeeze of hands.

“You know how I am,” Minhyun begins, a little shaky, “I like plans. I like sticking to them. I don’t need them to be followed exactly but I like having structure and something to guide me.

I had a plan that I formulated in college: The year I was going to get my job, the time frame before being promoted, what age I was going to get married, how many kids I wanted.

And then one night I was towed to a club.” Here is when Minhyun looks to the audience and that three moled friend waves back. “Then promptly ditched,” he adds and the hand sinks with guilt. He chuckles and shakes his head before holding Aron’s gaze again. “I still remember it to this day.”

“You with your hair slicked back. Unnervingly handsome. A stray strand falling into your face. I couldn’t believe you were talking to me.”

Aron laughs at the memory. Minhyun’s baffled look and _who me?_ after looking all around him and noticing how no one is in the vicinity for Aron to be mistaken with.

“But you were. And all those plans got scrapped or altered. But that was okay. I made new ones. Or made adjustments.” Minhyun smiles and squeezes Aron’s hands. “With you, I learned to take a breath. To enjoy a moment instead of letting my head run wild and worry about things I can’t control. To not be weighed down and choked by responsibility not meant to be mine.

With you, I learned of a love that knows no bounds. That even when I stumble there will always be someone who offers me a hand. And if I fall, someone will be there to catch me. It’s okay if I do. All it’ll leave behind is a few scrapes and tougher skin.

With you, I learned what it’s like to share moments: of joy and sadness. In sickness and in health. There will always be someone who celebrates my accomplishments with me. Someone who stands by my side and supports me so that I can achieve greater heights.

Someone I can return to at the end of the day — no matter if I’m weary and worn and bogged with the thoughts that I am undeserving of love.”

Minhyun’s eyes sparkle. A stray tear escapes and Aron quickly catches it, knowing his are about to break free.

“I have learned what it is like to be able to share my truest feelings and have someone listen to them without judgement. What it is like to be trusted with the darkest thoughts and deepest secrets,” Minhyun continues. “What it is like to be loved.

You accept me as I am. Meet me where I am at. And inspire me to become better. With you, I don’t need plans drawn up beforehand. Because anywhere with you is safe.

Where you are is where home will always be.”

He puts his hands around Aron’s and closes his hands around them, giving them a firm squeeze.

His daughter and son approach with the rings they had parted with just for today. Minhyun turns Aron’s hand over. He takes one of the rings and slides it back onto Aron’s finger.

Aron stares at it for a moment and looks up at Minhyun. He thinks of the walk down the aisle. Of how as he approached, Minhyun’s eyes glittered like the many facets of a crystal ore — just like the many aspects of Minhyun Aron loves. How hard Minhyun was trying to hold back his tears without tilting his head back because he didn’t want to look away. How that made Aron dig his fingers into his father’s arm for a firmer grip. And how that pain of nail beds and knuckles turning white reminded him that this was all real. How he could barely hear Dongho’s voice because all he could hear was the sound of blood rushing, quickened by his heart.

And now it was his turn.

Aron fiddles with the ring. Turns it all the way around, an age old habit by now.

Aron smiles, despite his nerves. “I should have prepared a speech beforehand but you know me,” he says to keep things light. Because all he sees when he looks up into Minhyun’s eyes is his own reflection.

“I thought I would know what to say once I got to the alter,” he confesses, “It’s been ten years and yet here I am.” He makes a gesture with his hands. “All choked up.”

It elicits a chuckle from the audience.

“I dreamed of becoming a journalist. I’m a director who writes the scripts for my documentaries. I should be good with words but even now you rob me of them.”

It’s somewhat of an accusation. Minhyun smiles, almost shy. Aron takes both his hands again and just holds them.

“It has been ten years since I've slid that ring onto your finger,” his thumb strokes where the ring should be while nodding in the direction of the ring bearers, “And every day I am humbled by the fact that you have decided to keep it on.

I know I can be irritating. I know I can be a handful. Sometimes I am the cause of your tears despite promising to be your umbrella in the rain. And yet every morning, the first sight that greets my eyes is your face.

I never want that scene to change.”

He takes in a deep breath. It’s shaky. It wracks his body.

He lets it out.

“I am a selfish man. I equipped myself with words so I could never be hurt or show anyone my vulnerable sides.

I never thought I would settle down. Or trust someone enough to open my heart up to them. To let myself be vulnerable around them. I never thought there was someone who would look at the mess that I am and choose to stay.

And yet somehow you do. Even when I get lazy and don’t do the dishes. Even when I wear your favorite clothes and accidentally stain them. Even when I shut down and withdraw into myself.”

Aron runs both his thumbs over the back of Minhyun’s hands.

“You are the most considerate person I know. Always attentive. Always there for a friend. Always know how to cheer someone up to the point sometimes you forget to care for yourself first.

Your mere presence in the room brightens up people’s days — even when you are a brat,” Aron can’t help but add. The audience chuckles. “You’re kind. You’re sweet. It’s why people love you easily. Because they know they can trust you.”

“You instilled in me confidence. Made me a better man. And taught me that the sky is the limit. The only thing between what I want and what I think I can’t have is _me_.”

Aron looks at Mingyeong and Minjoon and at the audience who has so kindly paid attention to this ramble.

“You’re my best friend. My eternal roommate. My better half. And the love of my life.

I can’t wait to wake up a year, ten years, fifty years from now and still see your face beside mine. I can’t wait to find your first strand of gray hair or point out the first wrinkle you will defend as a laugh line. I hope I get to spend the rest of my life with you.

I know this feeling in my heart. I know it’s name. And I know it will never end. It’ll be there when you make me laugh, which is, constantly. It’ll be there when you tie Mingyeong’s hair up. It’ll be there when you wake me up in the morning, way before the alarm sounds. It’ll be there when you sneeze. It’ll be there when you try to argue for why upgrading our perfectly functional roomba is a necessity. It’ll be there when you sing to every song on the radio a little too loudly.”

Aron turns to his children and beckons them to bring the ring.

Minhyun holds out his hand. The rim of his eyes red.

Aron returns the ring to its rightful place.

“Know that I mean it when I say I wouldn’t have embarked on this journey if not for you,” Aron says as Minhyun accepts the ring again. He finishes with: “they say home is where the heart is. And my heart lies in you.

They turn and face Jonghyun who gives them a nod. 

“Hwang Minhyun,” Aron addresses, holding Minhyun’s gaze once more.

“Kwak Youngmin,” Minhyun says.

And together: “I am, and will always be, your loving husband.”

“I am honored to declare you as one,” Jonghyun announces.

The crowd erupts into cheers.

Petals rain from above.

Aron pulls Minhyun in by the hips and Minhyun cups Aron’s face for the kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> i made it in time for pride month! whoo!!
> 
> i am still losing it over [this tweet](https://twitter.com/lovegobaek/status/1144286887902732289?s=20). so you all must suffer the perfection that are nu'est's eyelashes.
> 
> title inspired by ruelle's _i get to love you_
> 
> [niemierko](https://www.instagram.com/niemierko/) served as an inspiration for the last parts. as well as [this](https://www.instagram.com/mrjasonmitchell/) and [this](https://www.instagram.com/gaywedguide/) and [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB-XNKN8wr8). and if you want more wedding vows from television: sense8 with [amanita](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB-XNKN8wr8) and [nomi's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LWSbrBM9Sg) vows and [malec's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFB3CCGea0I) wedding scene. imagine bet bet outfits for the wedding fitting or something.
> 
> baby names are hard. i’m eternally grateful [this page](https://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/usage/korean) exists. if anyone caught the aeri reference *blows you kisses* thanks for still being here and reading this even though it’s no longer that old ship you were here for. point being surrogacy changed my understanding of the world. down with the traditional norms.  
> \+ i also made an effort to go with more gender neutral names for both their korean and english ones
> 
> their cooking was inspired by [this](https://twitter.com/aestheticsjapan/status/1143912015477579777?s=21).
> 
> side note: the kids are so used to their parents’ public displays of affection that whenever they see couples and their classmates are like ewwwww mingyeong is like my parents are like that and walks on like it’s no big deal. and cooties to them is the most ridiculous idea ever. mingyeong almost died laughing at it. besides, the more u find something gross or weird, the more taboo it gets, and society continues in circles: detrimental to people’s mental health. i’m not saying to go out of your way to expose kids. i’m just saying don’t pavlov train them to hate themselves inherently or something.
> 
> there's also a running joke between minron about iseul and mingyeong. about how in 2 decades or so, when they get together, minhyun will get the traditional korean wedding he wants.
> 
> thanks for making it this far in this heavily self indulgent fic.


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